Electromagnetic wave detection apparatus, program, and electromagnetic wave detection system

Abstract

An electromagnetic wave detection apparatus ( 10 ) includes an irradiator ( 11 ), a first detector ( 17 ), a propagation unit ( 20 ), a memory ( 13 ), and a controller ( 14 ). The irradiator ( 11 ) irradiates electromagnetic waves. The first detector ( 17 ) detects reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto an object (ob). The propagation unit ( 20 ) includes propagation elements (px). By irradiation position of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto the object (ob), the propagation elements (px) switch between propagating and not propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector ( 17 ). The memory ( 13 ) stores information related to the emission direction of the electromagnetic waves. The controller ( 14 ) updates the information related to the emission direction based on the position of the propagation element (px) that is propagating the reflected waves toward the first detector ( 17 ) when the first detector ( 17 ) detects the reflected waves.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electromagnetic wave detection apparatus comprising:
 an irradiator configured to emit electromagnetic waves; 
 a first detector configured to detect reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto an object; 
 a propagation unit comprising a plurality of propagation elements that, each of irradiation position of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto the object, switch between propagating and not propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector; 
 a memory configured to store information related to an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and 
 a controller configured to update the information related to the emission direction based on a position of a propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves. 
 
     
     
       2. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the irradiator irradiates the electromagnetic waves on the object while changing an irradiation position by changing the emission direction of the electromagnetic waves in accordance with a drive signal; 
 wherein the memory is configured to store first related information associating the drive signal and the emission direction as the information related to the emission direction; and 
 wherein the controller is configured to update the information related to the emission direction by updating the first related information, based on the position of the propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves and based on the drive signal when the first detector detects the reflected waves. 
 
     
     
       3. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the memory comprises second related information associating the emission direction and the position of the propagation element on which the reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves emitted in the emission direction are incident; and 
 wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information, based on the emission direction based on the second related information and the position of the propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves, and based on the drive signal when the first detector detects the reflected waves. 
 
     
     
       4. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information by updating a relationship between the drive signal and the emission direction in the first related information. 
     
     
       5. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information by updating a function indicating a correlation between the drive signal and the emission direction in the first related information. 
     
     
       6. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first related information is a plurality of signal values of the drive signal and the emission direction associated with each signal value of the plurality of signal values; and 
 wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information by updating an association between the plurality of signal values of the drive signal and the emission direction in the first related information. 
 
     
     
       7. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information by updating the plurality of signal values of the drive signal in the first related information. 
     
     
       8. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to update the first related information by updating the emission direction in the first related information. 
     
     
       9. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the irradiator comprises a reflecting surface configured to reflect the emitted electromagnetic waves while changing orientation in accordance with the drive signal so as to irradiate the electromagnetic waves on the object while changing the irradiation position. 
     
     
       10. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the propagation unit is configured to switch each propagation element of the plurality of propagation elements between a first state of propagating the reflected waves in a first direction in which the first detector is disposed and a second state of propagating the reflected waves in a second direction different from the first direction. 
     
     
       11. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller switches at least one propagation element among the plurality of propagation elements to the first state, and treats a position of the propagation element switched to the first state as the position of the propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves. 
     
     
       12. The electromagnetic wave detection apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a second detector disposed in the second direction from the propagation unit and configured to detect the reflected waves that are incident on the second detector. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores a control program for causing an apparatus to execute processes comprising:
 emitting electromagnetic waves; 
 detecting, using a first detector, reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto an object; 
 causing a portion of a plurality of propagation elements, configured to switch between propagating and not propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector, to propagate the reflected waves towards the first detector each of irradiation position of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto the object; 
 storing information related to an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and 
 updating the information related to the emission direction based on a position of a propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves. 
 
     
     
       14. An electromagnetic wave detection system comprising:
 an irradiator configured to emit electromagnetic waves; 
 a first detector configured to detect reflected waves of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto an object; 
 a propagation unit comprising a plurality of propagation elements that, each of irradiation position of the electromagnetic waves irradiated onto the object, switch between propagating and not propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector; 
 a memory configured to store information related to an emission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and 
 a controller configured to update the information related to the emission direction based on a position of a propagation element that is propagating the reflected waves towards the first detector when the first detector detects the reflected waves.